From:                                   Pitt, Joanne

Sent:                                    21 April 2020 12:02

To:                                        Pitt, Joanne

Subject:                                FW: Police and Fire Network update - new Regulations on Coronavirus for Wales 27 March

 

 

 

From: Alison Dewhirst [mailto:cipfa@email.cipfa.org.uk]
Sent: 27 March 2020 19:15
To: Dewhirst, Alison <Alison.Dewhirst@cipfa.org>
Subject: Police and Fire Network update - new Regulations on Coronavirus for Wales

 

Police and Fire Network
E-alert:

 

The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (Wales) Regulations 2020 (SI 353/2020 (W. 80))


27 March 2020

 

The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (Wales) Regulations 2020 (SI 353/2020 (W. 80)) apply only in Wales. They impose very similar restrictions to those in England, but with slight differences. As for the Regulations for England, the Regulations in Wales need to be reviewed every 21 days (the first review to be done by 15 April) and expire in 6 months’ time.

 

The Regulations require the closure of business premises in which food and drink are sold on the premises. However, selling food and drink for consumption off the premises is allowed to continue subject to certain restrictions. The Regulations prohibit the carrying on of a business or the provision of a service which is listed in Schedule 1 (cinemas, theatres, hairdressers, betting shops, bingo halls, nightclubs, museums, galleries etc). However, there are exceptions such as certain business premises opening at the request of the Welsh Ministers or a local authority, in order to provide urgent public services. Also museums, galleries, libraries and businesses can provide services via a website, by phone or by post.

 

There are restrictions on hotels and other holiday accommodation, places of worship, community centres etc that are similar to the provisions in England. Hotels can only remain open to cater for permanent residents or those unable to return home (e.g. overseas visitors or key workers having to work away from home) or as a result of a specific request by Welsh Ministers. Places of worship are to be used only for funerals, to broadcast an act of worship or to provide essential voluntary services or urgent public support services (such as blood donation, food banks etc). However, there are also specific provisions about the 2 metre social distancing requirements for those business premises that are open, places of worship, crematoriums and community centres.

 

The Regulations impose restrictions on movement and gatherings which are equivalent to those in England. No person may leave the place they live without a reasonable excuse. Such reasonable excuses include to obtain basic necessities and household supplies, food and medical supplies, take exercise, donate blood, the need to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person or in an emergency, to travel to work or provide voluntary services, where children do not live with both of their parents the need for parents to continue access arrangements, a house move, to access critical public services, to attend a funeral, to avoid injury or harm and other specific reasons listed in the Regulations.

 

No person may take part in a gathering of more than two people in a public place except in certain circumstances, including where they are members of the same household, where it is essential for work reasons, to facilitate a house move, to provide emergency assistance, to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person, to attend a funeral, or to participate in legal proceedings (or fulfil a legal obligation).

 

The Regulations impose a requirement on local authorities, National Park authorities, Natural Resources Wales and the National Trust to close certain public paths and land accessible by the public. The Welsh Ministers don’t need to review these provisions and the bodies responsible for closing the paths need to keep the need for closure under consideration. There are also powers of entry where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the Regulations are being contravened and it is considered necessary to check if they are being contravened.

 

As in England, Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) are £60 for the first offence (which is reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days) and £120 for a second offence. However, a limit is not specified in the Regulations as it is in England. The FPNs can be issued by police officers, PCSOs, and persons designated by local authorities, National Park authorities, Natural Resources Wales or Welsh Ministers.

Police and Fire Advisor

Alison Dewhirst

01904 675587
07769 673927
caroline.newman@cipfa.org

 

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